Linked holder for lantern slides



F. WALLER Irl-Au.A LINKED HOLDER FOR LANTERN SLIDE's original Filed Nov. 1v, 194s v July 6, 1954 2,682,722 1 Y .vz

lNvENToRs ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 6, 1954 LINKED HOLDER FOR LANTERN SLIDES Fred Waller, Huntington, and Waldo M. Mac- Laury, Cold Spring Harbor, N. Y., assignors to The Vitarama Corporation, Long Island, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application November 17, 1948, Serial No. 60,542, now Patent No. 2,563,893, dated August 14, 1951. Divided and this application Dev cember 4, 1948, Serial No. 63,584

7 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for holding slides that are to be projected successively, and the invention relates particularly to a novel slide holder construction with a combination of links and gear segments for connecting successive slide holders together in such away that they can be folded against one another into a compact relation.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved slide holder which is connected with other and similar slide holders to form a chain having novel connecting means at which the slide holders can be separated from one another only when they are in one particular angular relation to one another. When in folded relation, the slide holders are connected together in such a way that a pack of holders can be picked up by the endslide holders of the pack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a linked connection between successive slide holders of the chain with gear segments on the connected slide holders for causing the slide holders to fold into parallel relation with one another as they swing in either direction about their linked connections.

One feature of the gear segment construction insures against assembly of the slide holders with the teeth of the gear segments meshed in any way other than a symmetrical relation that permits a swinging movement of the slide holder equally in both directionsV from a central, extendedfposition in substantial alignment with the 'next adjacent slide holder of the chain.

The slide holders of this invention are constructed in such a way as to facilitate the insertion and removal of slides, and are constructed with walls or shoulders that cooperate with guide ridge and with feeding mechanism of the slide changing apparatus with which this invention is intended to be used.

Although the invention will be described in connection with holders for slides which are to be projected, it will be understood that features of the invention are also applicable to larger slides which are illuminated for direct exhibition.

This invention is intended for use with the slide projector and feed mechanism disclosed in the patent application of Waller and Shields, Serial No. 60,542, filed November 17, 1948.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the description proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which (Cl. I-152) n.. Cul

2 like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the Views,

Fig. l is a front elevation, partly broken away and in section, showing a slide holder of this invention connected at its oppositel ends with similar slide holders to form a chain.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the center slide holder of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, and

Fig. 5 is a bottom View of the structure shown in Figure l, with the slide holders in folded relation to one another.

Fig. l shows a slide holder I5 which has a top IG, a bottom I I and side portions I8 forming a frame for holding a slide 20 (Fig. 2). There are lugs 2l, 22 and 23 extending from the side portions I8 for maintaining the slide in position, the lugs 2l and 23y being located in front of the slide, and the lugs 22 being located behind the slide. The lower edge of the slide 2E! rests on a shoulder 25 along the bottom portion I1 of the slide holder. There are large recesses 26 in the shoulder 25 to receive cement for securing the slidein the holder. There is a recess 29 in the bottom of the slide holder, and this recess has shoulders at its opposite ends, preferably a straight or flat shoulder V3l! at one side, and a round shoulder 3| at the other side. These shoulders are unsymmetrically .located with respect to the center of the slide holder, the rounded shoulder 3| being nearer-to the center of the slide holder than is the iiat shouler 3Il,'for reasons which will be explained in connection with the guiding of the slides when in folded relation with one another. The recess 29 is used also in cooperation with apparatus for causing the slides to move into folded relation with one another. v

At the top of the slide holder, the side portions I8 extend for some distance above an upper edge 33 which is the top edge of the slide holder frame. There is a clip 35 with turned over ends that hook over the upper ends of the side portions !8. This clip extends across the slide holder a-t a level above the top` of the slide 20, and the clip has a tab 3l which extends through an opening 39 in the top of the frame. The tab 3l prevents the clip 35 from coming off the slide holder.

When it is necessary to remove the clip `35 in order to replace a slide, the mid portion of the clip 35 is fiexed away from the opening v3%! so as to withdraw the tab 3i from the opening, and it is a feature of the invention that the clip 35 is made of resilient and ilexible material which is thin enough to be easily bent to withdraw the tab from the opening. The slide being held against rearward movement by the lugs 2l and 23, can exert no pressure in a direction to flex the clip 35 away from the opening 39.

At the upper end of the clip 35 there are index notches 4I. rFhe clips for dierent slide holders have different numbers of index notches 4I, or have one or more indexed notches located at different distances from the ends of the clip, for causing different combinations of control fingers to be operated by the clip 35 when the respective slide holders are in position for projection, or in some other position at which it is desirable to cause control apparatus to operate.

The slide holder I5 is connected with another slide holder 45 which is preferably of identical construction with the slide holder I5. At the left hand end of the slide holder I5, there is a gear segment 45 which extends beyond the side portion I8 of the slide holder and into mesh with a complementary gear segment 49 extending beyond the side portion of the adjacent slide holder 45. There is a bore 5I at the center of each of the gear segments 4l and 49, and the `bore 5| in each gear segment is coaxial with the axis of the gear segment.

These slide holders I5 and 45 are joined by a link 54, which has the shape of an inverted U, and the sides of the U extend downwardly into the bores 5E in the respective gear segments 47 and 49. of the link 54 fit into these bores with running clearances and provide pivot bearings at the opposite ends of the link 54. The effective length of the link 54 is the distance between the axes of its pivot connections with the slide holders I5 and 45.

The pitch diameters of the gear segments 41 and 49 are substantially equal to the effective length of the link 5a so that the link holds these gear segments 4'1 and 4% in proper relation for them to roll on one another as the slide holders swing about their pivot connections to the link 54. It is a feature of the invention that the pitch diameters of the gear segments 41 and 49 -are at least equal to the thickness of each of the slide holders so that when the slide holders swing on their link connections, they can come into parallel relation with one another as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring again to Fig. 1, there is a gear segment 57 at the right hand side of the slide holder The downwardly extending portions I5, and this gear segment 5l is identical with the gear segment 49 at the right hand side of the slide holder 45. The gear segment 5'! meshes with a gear segment 59 of a slide holder 5D to which the slide holder I5 is joined by a link 64. This link 64 is identical with the link 54 at the other end of the slide holder I5.

Any number of slide holders of identical construction can be connected together by similar gear and link connections to form an endless chain of slide holders. When the links that connect the slide holders are in substantial alignment with the slide holders, as shown in Fig. 1, the slide holders are in "extended relation with respect to one another. When the slide holders swing on their link connections into the positions indicated in Fig. 5, the slide holders are in folded relation and in this position they are substantially parallel with one another, that is,

the front of one slide holder extends across the back of the next adjacent slide holder. The most compact relation is obtained by having the pitch diameters of the gear segments equal to the thickness of the slide holders as shown, but larger gear segments can be used with corresponding increase in the length of the links 54, 5t and the slide holders can be folded, though the successive slide holders will not be in such compact relation.

rIhe slide 'holder chain of this invention is intended for use in a guideway having a wide portion along which the chain is advanced while the slide holders are in folded relation with one another. Such a guideway preferably has a bottom 65 on which the slide holders rest and a ridge 66 extending upward from the bottom for guiding the assembly of slide holders as they pass along the guideway. The ridge extends into the recess 2Q of each of the slide holders.

When the slide holders are folded, as indicated in Fig. 5, the rounded shoulders 3! of alternate slide holders are located at the same side of the folded group of slide holders, and the flat shoulders 3l! of alternate slide holders are spaced back from the line of rounded shoulders BI. The advantage of this construction is that the rounded shoulders 3i come into contact with the side of the guide ridge 55 along which the group of folded slide holders is advanced, while the flat surfaces never contact with the guide ridge and consequently are not subject to wear. The flat surface can be used, therefore, to register the slide holders at the projection station in projectors that have provision for registering the slides in this way.

Slide holders between those which have their rounded shoulders in contact with the guiding ridge 66 are not guided except indirectly through their connections with the slide holders that do contact with the ridge 63.

The slide holder is of reduced thickness along the side portions I8 so that when the slide holders are in folded relation there is space between the side portions i8 of the adjacent slide holders. This provides a clearance into which a claw or other mechanism can be inserted and then moved in a direction to contact with the rearward face of the side portion i8 of the slide holder immediately ahead of the claw to feed the folded slide holders forward along the guideway of the projection apparatus with which they are used.

There is a flange or shroud 'H53 at the upper Aend ofthe gear segment 5S. This shroud provides a wall at the upper end of the spaces between the teeth of the gear segments 59. There is a recess 12, however, in the shroud 'i5 at the upper end of the centrally located space between the teeth of the gear segment 59, that is, the space engaged by the center tooth of the gear segment 5l when the slide vholders are in extended relation.

The teeth of the gear segment 5l are somewhat shorter than the teeth of the gear segment 59 with the exception of the center tooth of the gear segment 51, and this center tooth extends for the combined height of the gear segment 5% and the shroud 7d.

A lug 'I5 extends out from the side portion i3 at an elevation just above the link 54. Before the link 64 is initially inserted into the center bore or opening of the gear segment 5l, the lug 'i5 has a slot il through which the link fill can pass, provided that the link is aligned with the vvslot Il, After the link 54 has been inserted into the gear segment 51, however, a tab 18 at the outside of the slot 11 is bent inward to the position indicated by dotted lines inFig. 4, and when in this position, the tab 18 prevents the end of the link 64 from being withdrawn from the gear segment 51.

In order to insert the other end of the link 64 into the center bore or opening of the gear segment 59, it is necessary to bring the gear segment 51 downward into mesh with the gear segment 59. This can be done only when one of the teeth of the gear segment 51 is brought into mesh with the portion of the gear segment 59 which is in line with the notch 12 of the shroud 10.

The meshing of the proper teeth of the gear segments 51 and 59 is insured because of the vfact that the center tooth of the gear segment 51 is longer than the teeth of the gear segment 59 and extends upward into the notch 12. If any gear tooth of the segment 51, other than the center tooth, is meshed with the space of the gear segment 59 in line with the notch 12, the long center tooth of the segment 51 will strike against the periphery of the shroud when the slides are folding in one direction and prevent proper folding of the slides. This will be immediately apparent to anyone who is connecting the slides together and will cause the person connecting the slides to withdraw the gear segments from improper mesh with one another and insert the long tooth of gear segment 51 into that space of gear segment 59. which is in line with the notch 12.

lWhen the slide holders are in folded relation, the gear segments 51 and 59 cannot come out of mesh with one another. The link 64 prevents them from coming out of mesh in a direction transverse of theirr axes. If the gear segment 51 moves upward with respect to the gear segment 59, the teeth of the gear segment 51 strike the shroud 10 and prevent any further upward movement of this gear segment with respect to the gear segment 59. Y

If the gear segment 59 is moved upward with respect to the gear segment 51, lit will lift the link 64 into contact with the tab 15, and the tab will stop any further upward movement of the gear segment 59 with respect to the gear segment 51. It is apparent, therefore, that when the slide holders are in folded relation with respect to one another, the lifting of one slide holder will lift the next adjacent slide holder, and it is thus possible to pick up the entire group of folded slide holders by merely lifting the end holders.

In the use of the slide holder chain of this invention, the slide holders are preferably supported in a vertical position on an endless guideway on which the lower ends of the slide holders travel. The slide holders are maintained in extended relation with respect to one another as they travel past a projection or display station. Beyond the projection or display station the guideway in which they travel broadens out to a width somewhat greater than the length of the respective slide holders and means are provided for causing the slide holders to move first into a zig-zag relation with respect to one another, and then into the folded relation shown in Fig. 5.

In this folded relation, the individual slide holders occupy very little length of the guideway and a large number of slide, holders can be accommodated in a guideway of comparatively kshort length. Suitable means are provided for advancing the slide holders along the guideway;

and when an endless chain of slide holders is used in an endless guideway, repeated displays of the sequence of slides can be given without having to reverse the feeding mechanism or otherwise to return the slides to starting position.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, but changes and modifications can be made, and vsome features of the invention can be used alone, or in combination, without departing from the invention as deiined in the claims.

We claim:

1. A chain for moving slides into position successively at a projection station, said chain including a'plurality of individual slide holders, a link connecting each slide holder with the next successive slide holder and having pivotal connections with both of the slide holders that it connects, and gear segments on the respective slide holders at the ends of the slide holders and at opposite ends of the link, said gear segments having pitch diameters substantially equal to the eiective length of the link so that the teeth of the gear segments of the connected slide holders mesh with one another and maintain the slide holders in a predetermined relation with one another as they shift from an extended to a folded condition with the slide holders parallel with one another.

2. Apparatus for holding a plurality of slides, including, in combination, a number of individual slide holders each of which has gear segments at its opposite ends, a link connecting each slide holder with the next preceding and next successive slide holder, said link being of such length that it holds the gear segments of adjacent slide holders in mesh with one another, each of the links being connected at its opposite ends to the slideholders by pivotal connections that have their axes rin line with the centers of the gear segments, and abutments at the ends of the depressions between some of the teeth of the gear segment at one end of the slide holder in position to prevent axial movement of the teeth of the gear segment that meshes with said depressions.

3. The combination, with a plurality of slide holders, of gear segments on the ends of successive slide holders in position to mesh with one another when the slide holders are in a predetermined relation with one another, a shroud extending over the upper end of the gear segment of one slide holder in position to prevent the gear segment of the other slide holder from moving upward with respect to the shroud, a link connecting the slide holders and comprising a U-shaped element with opposite sides of the U extending downward through openings that are coaxial with the gear segments, and a lug extending outward from said other slide holder immediately above a portion of the link in position to prevent the link from pulling upward out of the opening in said other slide holder.

4. Apparatus for holding a number of slides for successive display, said apparatus, including in combination, a plurality of individual slide holdersy connections between successive holders including a link pivotally connected at its opposite ends with the respective holders, said link being located near the lower ends of the slide holders and comprising the only connection by which the slide holders are held together, and a recess extending from the lower edge of each slide holder intermediate the opposite ends of the length of the slide holder and extending across 7 the full thickness of the lower edger of the slide holder, said recess having an upwardly extending guide surface for cooperation with a guideway of apparatus along which the slide holders are advanced while held in assembled and predetermined relation to one another by said link.

5. Slide holding apparatus comprising a plurality of slide holders, each of which has a 4tramefor retaining a slide in a xed position with relation to the holder, links at opposite ends of each slide holder connecting that slide holder with adjacent slide holders, each of said links being of a length substantially equal to the thickness of the slide holders so that the adjacent slide holders can fold substantially flat against one another while connected bysaid links, a portion of each slide holder on at least one end of the slide holder intermediate the front and back of the slide holder being of reduced thickness and having a vertically extending surface for engagement by a feed claw to advance a group of slide holders when they are folded substantially hat against one another and held in a predetermined assembled relation by said links.

5. A plurality of slide holders, links between successive slide holders, each of said links having its opposite ends connected with the successive slide holders by pivotal connections with substantially parallel axes, a gear segment on each of the slide holders with a center substantially in line with the pivotal connection between the slide holder and the link, said gear segments having pitch diameters substantially equal to the effective length of the link so that the teeth of the gear segments of the connected slide holders mesh with one another and maintain the slide holders in a predetermined relation with one another as they shift from an extended to a folded condition, one of said gear segments havn ing a tooth that differs from the other teeth of the segment and that can be meshed with only one particular space between the teeth of the gear segment on the other slide holder so that the gear segments cannot roll upon one another yto fold the slid-e holders except when the slide holders are connected with the gear segments correctly meshed with one another.

Y7. A slide holder chain comprising a plurality of slide holders, each of which has a frame for holding a slide in a xed position with respect to the holder, links `connecting successive slide holders, and each of which has an effective length substantially equal to the thickness of the slide holders so that slide holders canbe swung into a folded condition substantially parallel with one another, pivotal connections at opposite ends of the links securing the links to the respective slide holders, gear segments on the adjacent ends of the successive slide holders With centers on the axes of the pivotal connections of the link with the slide holders, each of said gear segments having a pitch diameter substantially equal to the effective length of the link so that the gear segments roll upon one another to rock each slide about its pivotal connection with the link when the link is swinging about its pivotal connection with the other slide, a shroud covering the upper ends of the spaces between the teeth of one gear segment, a gap in the shroud leaving the space between two particular teeth of the shrouded gear segment unobstructed at the end, and a tooth of the other gear segment longer than the other teeth and having sucient height t0 extend up into the gap in the shroud when the successive slide holders are in a predetermined relation to one another.

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